Higanbana
by MochiUs
Summary: "Kamado Tanjiro," he said with conviction and an unwavering spirit, "Stay and be mine." or Giyuu was a dying man, but he refused to die without experiencing happiness.
1. Chapter 1

"Nezuko, look," Tanjirou stopped midway and stared at the cherry blossoms with awe. He then glanced at his beloved sister who also watched them with a smile.

"They're beautiful," she said happily, her hands reaching out for the soft, pink petals dancing with the wind.

Three years. Three years had passed ever since their fateful showdown with Kibutsuji Muzan. Their losses cut deep, but the Kamado siblings prevailed and went through hell to avenge their family and fallen allies, slicing off his head in one fell swoop with a victorious cry.

Though there were still some straggling demons, they were easier to fend off nowadays. The missions sent by the crows were dwindling, and very soon, the eradication of demons were becoming reality.

However, there was a cost. Tanjirou and Nezuko continued to keep in touch with their fellow Pillars, but there were only a few of them left.

Three years. Three years had passed.

"Tomioka-san is almost twenty-five, isn't he?" Nezuko stated solemnly.

The siblings embarked on a journey to the Water estate after receiving an urgent message, and even though the details were withheld, the two have an inkling of this visit's purpose.

Her brother chose not to answer and quickened his pace, for time was of the essence. His dear friend was waiting for their arrival.

Tanjirou and the rest of the Demon Slayer Corps were unsung heroes, and though their unmistakable sacrifices went unrecognized by the government, they never asked for a reward. Most continued on with their lives with peace and prosperity.

"You're here."

Once they stepped foot into the vicinity, Tanjirou abruptly stopped to the point that Nezuko almost collided into him. Waiting for the siblings was Tomioka Giyuu in the flesh, standing like a perfect statue at the front. The burst of relief that should have flooded throughout Tanjirou's veins was absent. Instead, a heavy, looming sense of dread overcame him and left him debilitated. His worst fears were coming to light.

Beyond the scent of wisterias surrounding the household was the unforgettable stench of blood and death.

When happiness ends, there's always the smell of blood in the air.

"No," he said in disbelief, lip wobbling as the realization dawned on him. He walked towards Giyuu with heavy footsteps.

"I'm sorry," he apologized even though he had no reason to do so, especially when he was already marked a dead man.

Nezuko observed the exchange between the two men, watching them stare into each other's eyes with unspoken truths. Her brother was often straightforward, charging into battle with his head in the right place, but now here he was, frozen at the spot. Indeed, love can make one quite foolish and silent.

"How much longer?" Tanjirou questioned with a whisper.

He eyed Giyuu from top to bottom, assessing the changes to his appearance. In truth, he barely changed, retaining his mismatched haori and unkempt hair. Besides the budding dark circles beneath his dark blue eyes, he seemed healthy and fine. He was handsome, a fitting bachelor who would have made any maiden swoon. A lump sat in Tanjirou's throat because now Giyuu would never have the opportunity to share his happiness with that maiden.

"Does..." he paused. "Does anybody else know?"

However, such an awkward conversation should not be held outside at the front gates. Bless Nezuko's heart, she ushered them inside, treading this delicate subject matter carefully as she asked one of the maids to direct them to a private room. The room they were assigned to kept a traditional look with its tatami mats and sliding doors.

It suited Giyuu.

Treated as guests of honor, the siblings were served tea, and after politely thanking the maids, the women exited as swiftly as they had entered. However, with their leave, the atmosphere reverted to its melancholic state. Tanjirou stared at the floor hard, waiting for the right cue to speak up.

"A year," Giyuu broke the ice.

Tanjirou raised his head in alarm. "What?"

"That is how much time the doctors said I have left."

Tanjirou clenched his fists against his thighs, extremely frustrated with his speechlessness. However, what more could he say? That he was sorry for the diagnosis? That he wished he could have lived longer?

No, that would have been an insult to the Water Pillar, to the sacrifices his fellow allies made when they bore the mark. Giyuu and the rest of the Pillars were well aware of their impending demise, and if given the choice, they would have proudly worn it again in hopes of destroying Kibutsuji and his demons.

"I-I see..." Tanjiro finally stammered. "I'll..." he broke off. Miss him? Always remember him? The words wouldn't come out.

Even so, the pain wouldn't subside. It was as if someone squeezed his heart and held it hostage, taking away the oxygen in his lungs so that he could die as well. Tanjirou reached over and held onto Giyuu's sleeve with the most wretched, miserable expression, pouring in the torrent of emotions he was feeling in his grip. Pitiful. He couldn't even send his friend a proper farewell. He hitched his breath when Giyuu's hand gently overlapped his, touching him with such care and fondness.

Then the man broke eye contact in favor of speaking to his younger sister. "Nezuko," he said quietly with his voice sifting through the wind. "Can you please give us a moment to talk?"

Nezuko stilled as she was being addressed.

Earlier, she attempted to avert her eyes to give the two their privacy. She had no intention to impose on them. With the opportunity to leave, she exited but not before giving her brother a long look and sending him encouragement and luck.

"Call me back when you're ready," she smiled.

Now alone, Tanjirou faced Giyuu again. His nose was clogged from the snot threatening to seep out of his nostrils, but he swore he must have smelled the saddest scent, a bittersweet tone that left him aching to comfort.

"Tanjirou, my dearest friend," Giyuu said. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face. "Before I pass away, before I leave to see our fallen comrades and loved ones," he paused, "I must ask you this favor."

The man who mastered the Breath of the Sun, the man who conquered Kibutsuji and broke the chains of grief, the man who changed the cogs of destiny only to save his sister, braced himself for Giyuu's request. A man's dying wish was a wish that must be fulfilled no matter what.

"Anything for you," he answered earnestly because that was what he did best.

In response, Giyuu laced their fingers, entangling them until they were fully entwined. Tanjirou watched this unfold, eyes widening as he realized the gravity of his promise.

"For many years, I lived a life of loss and regret."

Tanjirou was swayed by the determination burning in Giyuu's eyes, a flickering flame that slowly burned stronger and stronger as he continued to speak. Had he grown more confident over the years?

"I refuse to die alone. I refuse to die without experiencing happiness."

Tanjirou was shaken as Giyuu brought his hand to his lips. He felt those lips lightly pressed against his scarred knuckles, brushing over his skin with an intimacy that could be found only in lovers.

"I want to be with the people I care for most."

They were not lovers, but that was going to change very soon.

"Kamado Tanjirou," he said with conviction and an unwavering spirit, "Stay and be mine."

Nothing more. Nothing less.


	2. Chapter 2

"Like this?" Giyuu asked Tanjirou as he meticulously flattened the mochi rice.

The boy with the burgundy-colored hair paused in his ministrations and checked. He was making the red bean paste, which was intended as the filling.

"Ah!" he smiled. "That looks amazing!" he praised. "Shinazugawa-san will surely approve!"

Not unless the man murdered them before they could hand the treats, Nezuko thought as she assisted her brother. Even though she turned back into a human, she still held a personal grudge against the Wind Pillar for mistreating her. Tanjirou was always the more forgiving of the two. After headbutting the man three times, her brother immediately buried the hatchet without looking back. Nowadays, he made frequent visits to Genya and his insufferable brother, and Giyuu, who caught wind of these visits, wanted to join them since his goal was to foster a more amicable relationship with Sanemi. There was no better opportunity than this.

Finished, they wrapped the ohagi for consumption. Overall, they were a complete mess, with utensils haphazardly thrown in dirty bowls and pots. Sugar was strewn about, and clumps of sticky rice were everywhere.

It was the perfect picture of happiness.

"That was fun," Tanjirou said as he cleaned up. "We should do this again!"

Nezuko nodded in agreement, mouth salivating over the delicious pastries because anything made by her brother's hands was delectable. Giyuu, on the other hand, cradled the ohagi as if it was precious.

How long has it been since he gathered with family and friends? How long has it been since he participated in something as menial and special as this? However, now was not the time to dwell on how much he wasted, but instead on how much he has left.

"Stay and be mine," Giyuu told Tanjirou because he yearned to relive that simple happiness. Beneath the awkward layers he bore, this was his truth, which was why he had to be forthright about it.

Tanjirou must have misunderstood his fundamental desire to experience that fleeting happiness again, to share it with the people who touched his life before he disappeared like a temporary footprint on a sandy beach.

The young man frowned, thinking deeply of his proposition. Doubts clouded his judgment.

"Giyuu-san… I'm flattered but-"

Truthfully, he felt inadequate to bear this cross because Giyuu deserved a worthy and amazing partner, someone who would help carry on his bloodline, someone who was definitely not plain old Tanjirou.

"If I truly disgust you from the bottom of your heart," Giyuu said with a sharp tongue, sharper than his blade, "Then I will respect your wishes and ask for you to forget I ever asked. However," he looked straight ahead, "do not make assumptions of what is best for me."

Tanjirou clamped his lips shut. The silence was stifling. Outside, the sound of rushing water permeated the air, most likely coming from a koi pond nearby. If he concentrated hard enough, he could also hear Nezuko's softly humming in the distance, biding her time until they were ready for her return.

Then, like a traitorous snitch, his heart thrummed within him, beating so loud he could feel it in his ears. Blood pumped in his veins and adrenaline coated his muscles, but there was no place to flee or fight. There was only Giyuu, his savior, his friend and benefactor. He was stuck here, and he must face him as a man, not as a coward with a tail tucked between his legs.

Realizing his fatal mistake, he pounded his forehead against the mat with a loud _thud_.

"Please forgive me!" he cried out, ashamed of his indecisiveness.

He was more irresolute back then, but he was not the same boy Giyuu met in their first encounter. He was no longer the boy who hesitated in the event if his sister consumed a human. He was more than that. He matured from that.

"I failed to acknowledge my shortsightedness," he said. "Because of my ignorance, I insulted you."

He sat back up with a straight back and a strong composition. His forehead was slightly scuffed from the sudden impact against the floor. His cheeks were ruddy and tinged pink.

He gave his answer. "I would be honored to be your partner, Giyuu-san."

Though they cannot be bound together through traditional means, Tanjirou was willing to stay by Giyuu's side until death pulled them apart.

Giyuu blinked, taken aback by Tanjirou's outburst, for he had forgotten how incredibly boisterous he could be when given the chance. However, after registering what he said, warmth and joy moved him to grasp those calloused hands and lean close. A slight tremble took over his frame because never in his wildest dreams he imagined Tanjirou agree to his ridiculous, selfish request.

"Thank you," he told him softly, voice riddled with affection.

Humans were selfish creatures, greedy and envious. Giyuu must have been the most selfish one of them all to push his luck and press a chaste kiss between Tanjirou's brows, his lips lingering there a second longer than intended. Tanjirou's skin went aflame, burning him in the process and depriving him of oxygen.

Giyuu spoke with eternal gratitude. "Thank you for heeding my selfish request."

Dazed, Tanjirou nodded dumbly.

However, the moment was short-lived when another voice interrupted them, "It's not selfish to be with another human."

As if they were caught in a scandalous act rather than a sweet moment of vulnerability, Tanjirou gasped, "Nezuko!"

There she was, hovering near the opening with a mischievous, cat-like grin. Not missing a beat to tease her brother, she asked jokingly, "So, when am I invited to the wedding?"

XXX

As expected, there was no wedding, and though the two were unable to enjoy a traditional ceremony, they understood they were together through unconventional means. There was no arranged meeting, no dowries exchanged. It was only Giyuu and Tanjirou, and that was enough.


	3. Chapter 3

The door slid open.

"Shinazugawa-san!" Tanjirou greeted amiably with Giyuu at his side, "Greetings! We've come to visit-"

The door slid shut.

"Shinazugawa-san!" Sanemi heard behind him. "Please open the door! We've brought treats!"

"I don't want your damn treats!" he screamed back.

A second later he heard footsteps. "Nii-chan?" Genya heard the commotion outside and rushed over whilst carrying a bucket of laundry. "Is everything alright?"

"I apologize for coming at short notice!" Tanjirou's voice continued to filter through the thin doors. "I sent a letter, but it must have gotten lost!"

No, the letter was received, but Sanemi elected to ignore it.

"Is that… Tanjirou?"

Well, the cat's out of the bag now. There was no mistake in the shimmer of delight in his younger brother's eyes, the way they soften at the mention of his friend. He inwardly groaned as Genya laid the bucket down at the side before welcoming his guests. He could hear the exchanged pleasantries as Genya ushered the couple inside their home.

He followed them to a room and silently glared at their backs, clearly sending the message for them to leave as soon as possible. However, Tanjirou elected to ignore those vibes.

Once everyone was settled, Tanjirou and Giyuu announced their partnership to the brothers.

"Ah, so the loner got hitched," Sanemi commented crassly.

"Nii-chan," Genya admonished him.

Sanemi was quite unapologetic. Blame his protective side, but he was not blind to his brother's crumbling heart, the subtle way the younger turned his head away when he saw the two clasped hands. He was angry on Genya's behalf because they were rubbing salt on the wound without realizing it.

Then Giyuu stood up.

"Shinazugawa-san," he said without rage or irrationality. "Let us spar one last time."

Even a strange man like Giyuu had to preserve his pride, Sanemi thought with a feral grin. Already, his mind strung out strategies, fully intent on putting this man in his place. Their last training session was ages ago, so he couldn't wait to kick his ass. However-

"Last?" Genya questioned. "Why?"

Sanemi held his breath as he watched Tanjirou stand by his partner's side, grasping Giyuu's hand as if he was his anchor, his strength. Though the white-haired man loathed to say it, there was a profound connection between the two, a bond that one cannot simply interrupt, and Sanemi was transfixed. No wonder they killed an Upper Moon and Kibutsuji Muzan back in their hay day, for they seemed unstoppable at this moment, as if they could move mountains and create tsunamis.

They held each other's gaze, one that spoke of unyielding trust and undying support.

"I have a year left to live," Giyuu revealed his terminal condition to the brothers.

For the past couple weeks, he traveled far and wide to spread the devastating news to his friends and acquaintances, but this part never got old. It never got easier.

"It can't be..." Genya uttered his shock.

His memories of the Giyuu was an unwavering stream, a flow that couldn't be hindered or stopped. He glanced at Tanjirou, gauging his reaction and felt a bottomless sadness for the kind man who shed blood and tears for him, who helped him reconnect with his brother when all hope seemed lost because Tanjirou, a man who deserved the world, was partnered to a dying man.

"I am not a loner," Giyuu told Sanemi as if it would erase the years of being hated due to countless misunderstandings. "I am surrounded by people who care for me," his words rung bold and true. "Including you," he added.

The scarred man made a disgusted face. "Hah?"

Tanjirou released his hold as Giyuu bowed low. "It would be an honor to spar with you while I am still at my prime. Before my body begins to deteriorate."

To others, this display would have seemed like a harmless, friendly challenge, but with the knowledge of Giyuu's death, it meant so much more. Sanemi trembled as if an earthquake was beneath his feet, and without warning, he yanked Giyuu's sleeve as they exited the room, dragging him outside towards the city like a sack of rice.

"Don't follow us," he snarled specifically at Tanjirou. "We'll be back."

"What-"

As expected, Tanjirou made his move to disobey those orders but was held back by Genya.

"Come back safely," he bid them farewell, not heeding Tanjirou's protests as his brother slid the door shut.

XXX

Giyuu was like a lost duckling looking for its mother. He does not fare well in crowded areas.

"Where are we going?" Giyuu asked him, albeit more on the meek side as more and more people got closer to his personal bubble.

"Somewhere far away from them," Sanemi explained.

"Why?" A second later Giyuu asked him, "What are you hiding?"

Instead of answering his questions, Sanemi led him to an eating establishment, waving at the owner for two orders of soba. The restaurant was packed because of lunch time, and Giyuu felt more and more uncomfortable the longer he stayed in this bustling environment.

"I was told six months."

The way Sanemi said that was eerily soft-spoken, as if the man was momentarily possessed by a feeble spirit.

Snapped out of his innermost thoughts, Giyuu stared at Sanemi with wide eyes. "Six months?" He gaped. "You..."

"Genya doesn't know yet, and I don't plan on telling him until I cough out blood," the other man said resolutely. There was no room for debate because his heart was set in stone.

Giyuu nodded in understanding. For a brief moment in his despair, he also contemplated in that direction before he took a careless dive and professed his love.

"Two orders of soba," a waitress announced as she placed them in front of her customers.

When the woman left to tend to her other customers, Giyuu took a bite, but it tasted like ash. The conversation of death was never an appetizing subject.

"My lips are sealed," he said out of respect. "However… He may not forgive you," he warned.

"Tch," Sanemi said while putting another mouthful of noodles in his mouth.

From these unfortunate news, Giyuu had indirectly learned that the chance to spar together at optimal levels was gone. They were past the deadline, which is why the white-haired man treated him to soba as a consolation prize.

For two men who were prepared for their death, their approach to their remaining days were as different as night and day. However, they cannot judge the other because in the end, they would decay and return to the earth, waiting for their turn to be reincarnated back into the world.

XXX

When Giyuu returned from his meal, Tanjirou was strangely quiet as they made their departure. Even though they cohabited for almost a month, words were still daunting for the Water Pillar to use, so he used the oldest trick in the book.

"Tanjirou," he pulled out some rice crackers he bought at the city, "You can have some."

When one reaches a roadblock, solve everything with food.


	4. Chapter 4

"Stop struggling!"

Genya's arms were hooked around Tanjirou's shoulders, momentarily immobilizing him, but the struggle was real as the man twisted and yanked to get out of his clutches.

"Let. Me." The burgundy-haired man prepared his attack. Though his forehead would have been ten times more lethal. "Go!"

He whipped his head forward and immediately extended his neck to knock into Genya's nose with the back of his skull. Experience allowed Genya to anticipate this and dodge, but Tanjirou still connected with his right cheek, causing him to hiss and release his hold. Genya touched his aching cheek and glared at the perpetrator.

"Where is your brother taking Giyuu-san?" Tanjirou demanded with a no holds barred attitude.

He certainly looked ready to break all the rules, to let hell break loose if Giyuu's life was threatened besides the curse eating him away.

Genya shrugged. "Beats me, but..."

Though the brothers shared a history of misunderstandings and strained distances, his dear brother would never harm the Water Pillar out of malice, not when they lost so many comrades to both Kibutsuji Muzan and the curse. His master came to mind, and if Genya reserved any tears left to cry, they would have stroked and slid down his cheeks unbidden. So young. Both his deceased master and Giyuu were too young to die.

"They'll be fine," he said more confidently. "I think..."

He remembered the tears his brother shed after that fateful night, tears that were born out of grief for his lost allies and relief for his living brother. Though the Pillars were not blood-related, they shared a relationship that struck deeper than simple camaraderie. It was a type of bond they found within themselves until they considered each other as family.

"I think… They needed the privacy."

Hearing his friend's reassurance was what Tanjirou needed to hear. He must have sensed the genuineness behind his words. "I see," he calmed down. "I suppose you're right."

He was Giyuu's partner by name, but that was simply a title, one that was born out of the man's desires. Sanemi was a different case, a person who knew Giyuu and was considered his equal long before Tanjirou met him.

Then, Genya asked him, "Do you love Tomioka-san?"

Taken aback by the sudden question, Tanjirou almost missed his pinched expression, the kind that reminded him of a wounded animal. With a quick inhale, Tanjirou noticed the smell of bittersweet sadness that permeated the room, one that reminded him of yuzu rinds for its aromatic scent but bitter taste. It was the scent of heartbreak. There was a subtle whiff of it earlier, but now that Tanjirou was no longer distracted from Giyuu, the smell was pungent and clear.

Guilt settled in his belly.

"Genya..." His eyes were usually bright and radiant, filled with the dreams and hopes of the future, but right now, they were snuffed out and tainted with regret.

Genya flushed, realizing Tanjirou must have recognized his hapless crush.

"I never knew you hid these feelings," Tanjirou lowered his head in apology. "I should have noticed."

"You were always a blockhead," he agreed.

Tanjirou bowed low, thanking him for his blessings. "You are one of my closest friends, Genya," he said with laced emotions. "However, I am a selfish man, and though you harbor these feelings for Giyuu-san..."

Genya blinked twice, slowly registering his words. He must have heard him wrong.

"What," he uttered.

Tanjirou's heart twanged with the chords of jealousy.

"It's hard for me to explain, but I cannot give him up to you, no matter how much you love him."

He flushed and does not know where he gained this confidence, the audacity to reject Genya's advances toward Giyuu, but he was the chosen one, handpicked by the man himself to stay by Giyuu's side.

Indeed, Genya does not understand why he loved such an idiot, but he received the answer he needed to back down. He laughed out loud. Genya was not sure if his brother plotted this scenario to give him an opportunity to confess, but nonetheless, he wasted it. He will remind himself to thank his brother after his return.

"Then I entrust you to take care of Tomioka-san for me," Genya played along with this charade. Sanemi would have a riot hearing about this misunderstanding.

"I will!"

Genya forced himself to smile. Not for Tanjirou's sake, but for his sake. Without a doubt, Tanjirou was, irrevocably and devastatingly, in love with Tomioka Giyuu.

XXX

When Tanjirou moved into the Water estate, Giyuu offered to move to the mountain where the Kamado siblings resided, to the home where they burned coal and lived in peace. After all, the siblings took a year to rebuild their sacred hut and rekindle the coal burning business. Tanjirou dashed his concerns. Sooner or later Nezuko would become Zenitsu's bride, so distance-wise, this arrangement was more advantageous and less travel-weary.

Giyuu was kind, always accommodating to his needs and fitted him into this household until it was natural for him to be here. Though there were a few extravagant surprises, such as the taishogoto, the stringed instrument Giyuu would bring out from storage whenever Zenitsu visited. Another example of his wealth would be the faucets in his tiled bathrooms since they were such a rarity, and Tanjirou would feel spoiled whenever he used hot or cold water. He was only the son of a humble coal burner, and yet he lived like a prince.

Time and time again Giyuu displayed his affections through subtle changes, always going with the flow and never expecting anything more or less. In Tanjirou's opinion, he felt that Giyuu received one too many underlying threats for a dying man. Even though he appreciated his friends and family protecting his well-being, who was there to defend Giyuu? Who else was there to ensure Giyuu was taken care of, to remind Tanjirou to make him the happiest man on earth?

There was no one, for those people had passed away.

No, that was a lie. Tanjirou was alive, and his talk with Genya helped him reach a revelation, the revelation to preserve his promise of assisting Giyuu in finding true happiness. This was a duty, no, an honor he must fulfill.

Therefore, he was deep in thought throughout the whole journey back home, wondering what could possibly bring a bigger smile to Giyuu's handsome face besides his favorite dish. Though he cooked salmon daikon at least once a week, merely delivering a meal once a weak left a hollow victory, as if Tanjirou cheated to bring forth that reaction.

He stared unabashedly at Giyuu as the man calmly sipped his tea, unbeknownst to the rapt attention put upon him. His husband's lips touched the rim of the cup, and from that insignificant action, inspiration struck Tanjirou like lightening.

He leaned forward, curious. "Giyuu-san," he said quietly as if he was disturbing the tranquil air.

The man paused and turned his way, tilting his head slightly to give him his undivided attention. Tanjirou held his breath and wondered if there will ever come a day when he will stop being trapped in those marvelous blue eyes.

"Yes, Tanjirou?" Giyuu responded.

Tanjirou bit his lower lip as his confidence slowly ebbed away. Perhaps he misread the situation and acted too rashly, he told himself. Perhaps now was not the appropriate time to bring up this question, he reasoned.

"Are you getting feverish?" Giyuu asked worriedly, placing the back of his hand against his forehead. "You've been quiet ever since we left."

Again, Tanjirou was being unnecessarily fickle. He flamed up his heart, gritted his teeth, and moved forward because he was no coward; and today, he will not falter beneath Giyuu's brilliance.

"I am not sick," he reassured him. "But..." He felt the heat flare up and the expected burning sensation in his throat, clogging up his ability to breathe. "Giyuu-san," he gulped. "Why haven't we kissed yet?"


	5. Chapter 5

Though many dreamed of marrying for love, sometimes marriage was a means of necessity and tradition. One would be considered lucky to be in a love-filled marriage, which probably explained why the divorce rate was so high. However, Giyuu was not fully conscious of these norms in his childhood because his sister painted him marriage as longing stares and brushed fingers, a matrimony full of love and shy kisses.

Giyuu did not mean to eavesdrop. He wanted to congratulate her again, to hold her as his beloved sibling one last time before her husband-to-be took her away. He was young at heart, innocent and untainted from the tragedy that would strike the next day. His cobalt blue eyes widened in curiosity.

"Leave," his dear sister giggled quietly to her fiance. "We must sleep," she attempted to muffle her voice to not disturb the peace.

Her fiance, a kind, burly man with a strong physique but a meek temperament, also had difficulty holding in his laughter.

He asked, "But how can I sleep when my dreams are now a reality?"

Tsutako leaned into his space and kissed his cheek with her rose-colored lips. "Then make new dreams," she whispered coyly, "And dream of a life with me."

Giyuu, who hid in the shadows, flushed at the intimate exchange and scurried back to his room. He was no romantic, but he knew happiness when he saw it. The light was dim in Tsutako's room, but the stare the couple shared was brighter than any sun, more radiant than any constellation, which made Giyuu so devastated when his sister sacrificed herself on the day before the wedding.

Not even true love's kiss could revive a human that was eaten by a demon.

XXX

"Stop being nervous," Sabito elbowed him. "You're making me nervous."

Giyuu became as still as stagnant water, but his jittery nerves unhinged him, moving rapid-fire and erratic. These hellish months training under Urokodaki-sensei felt like a dream, especially when they were selected for Final Selection.

"How are you not nervous?" he pouted.

"Real men do not feel fear in the face of danger," Sabito said, trying to sound as cool as possible. Yet, his small hands quivered in both apprehension and anticipation. They tend to go hand in hand.

"Do real men grip their swords so tight they become purple?"

"Shut up, Giyuu, or I'll knock you off this branch."

The raven-haired boy held onto Sabito's sleeve. "Then I'll take you down with me."

"You wouldn't dare."

After a bout of staring, the two boys laughed, letting out peals of joy the night before their departure to Mt. Fujikasane because tonight they were students who completed their Breath of Water training, but next week, they will return as official Demon Slayer swordsmen.

Sabito looked up to the twinkling sky.

"It would be an honor for me to fight along your side," he whispered.

Giyuu felt the warmth pool in his chest. "Me, too," he admitted with a touch of fondness in his voice while watching the dark pools of the night.

Then he felt something soft, something faint skim over the corner of his mouth. He turned his head for answers, but only saw Sabito hugging his knees and covering a great portion of his face. For a boy with peach-colored hair, his ears seemed to burn red.

"The Westerners call it a good luck kiss or something like that." After Sabito explained himself, he burrowed his head and dug further into his sleeves.

Giyuu regretted never returning that kiss.

Perhaps his best friend would have lived if he shared some of that good luck.

XXX

"Giyuu-san," Tanjirou asked him, "Why haven't we kissed yet?"

The man was unable to answer. Because someday he might die, his invasive thoughts reminded him. Because someday all of this will shatter and end.

Giyuu eyed Tanjirou from top to bottom, appreciating how absolutely ethereal he looked right out of a bath. Wet hair was plastered to his cheeks, and milky skin was illuminated by the moonlight. Here he was, the man who stole his heart, his soul, his everything, kneeling before him. Giyuu itched to reach out a hand to place a stray lock behind Tanjirou's ear, but he withheld himself because that was what he did best.

To not become lost in his emotions. To not allow the calmness within him to ripple.

However, Tanjirou was the pebble that cascaded down his path and affected their fate. He was the boy who took his sister and threw themselves into this perilous journey like a wave, throwing everyone off course regardless of status and power. He seized Giyuu's heart and kept it hostage until Giyuu's only thoughts were tainted with checkered green haoris and hanafuda earrings.

This arrangement was too good to be true. Tanjirou loving him and staying by his side was beyond his imagination. It was almost as if it was…

"I'm scared," he admitted to Tanjirou.

He was scared ever since the desire to taste Tanjirou's lips sprouted and bloomed. He remembered the dawn approaching the horizon as Tanjirou slayed Muzan at last. Bloodied and battered, Giyuu felt compelled to approach the young man to capture those red-painted lips to make sure Tanjirou was alive. Instead, he restrained himself and took the first breath of a new era, an era where the demon slayers conquered the night.

More instances of that desire to devour Tanjirou, to steal those lips and claim them multiplied. Yet, he denied himself that time and time again.

"If I kiss you," he said quietly and trembled. "I'm afraid that I'll wake up from this dream… And that you'll disappear in front of my eyes."

Tanjirou's breath hitched.

"If this is a dream," Giyuu said with heavy intent, "Then I don't want to wake up."

"Giyuu-san..."

Tanjirou was the embodiment of warmth. His warm, calloused hands touched his face with soothing strokes until they slid down the expanse of his neck and gripped the top of his jinbei tight. Giyuu was pulled to the floor with Tanjirou beneath him, eyes brimmed with beautiful tragedy and crimson passion.

In a rare moment of weakness, Giyuu felt his cheeks turn red, taken aback by this position.

"Kiss me, Giyuu-san," Tanjirou said with confidence and wrapped his arms around his neck, the same neck he was ready to lose if Nezuko killed a human.

"No," he said even though he was entirely seduced.

Tanjirou was always beautiful to him, especially now when his dark red hair reached his shoulder tips. Though the coal burner proclaimed with great pride that his sister was the most beautiful, he secretly told himself that Tanjirou shared that honor with her.

"I won't disappear."

"You can't..." He took in a deep, steady breath. "You can't promise me that."

"Giyuu-san, if this is a dream… Then I want you to wake up," Tanjirou said gently, tilting his head to give him a chaste peck on the lips. "So then you can finally live and be happy with me."

"But you don't love me," he clutched onto the last dregs of his control.

"I do," Tanjirou said, but it sounded more like a question than an answer. "I do..." he said with more confidence as if a weight was being lifted from his chest. It seemed that Tanjirou had woken up at last.

He gasped at the epiphany as if a stampede overran him, and then said more loudly, "I do!"

He pressed another kiss to Giyuu's stunned lips, more insistent and full of repressed joy. "I do," he laughed, feeling much more giddy than before. "I love you, Giyuu-san," he said as if he was out breath from the love filling his heart and lungs.

"Wake up," Tanjirou beamed, "So that you can love me, too."

Giyuu did. He blinked and came to his senses, conscience of the warm body beneath him and the shared feelings they own together. Finally, Giyuu allowed himself to live.

He was so blind, he noted. He must have blatantly ignored how Tanjirou's heartbeat raced when his palm touched his chest. He must have been deaf and covered his ears to not notice how Tanjirou's breathing became erratic as he closed the distance.

After so many dreams and so many gloomy nights, they kissed, mouths melding into one and opening up so that they can explore to their heart's content. They shared more than one kiss under the moonlight, more than Tanjirou can count, more than their eavesdropping crows can handle. The two were stuck in an embrace that felt eternal, wishing this was their forever until their lips were split and swollen.


	6. Chapter 6

"Nii-chan!" Nezuko squealed in delight as she leapt into Tanjirou's arms as Zenitsu followed in tow.

The siblings laughed and basked in their reunion as Tanjirou swung his younger sister around effortlessly. They hugged each other tightly with tears sprouting at the corners of their eyes, their cheeks rubbing against each other with love and warmth.

"I missed you so much," Tanjirou squeezed his baby sister as if they haven't seen each other for centuries even though it had only been two weeks.

"Good morning, Tanjirou," Zenitsu greeted him belatedly. "Tomioka-san," he nodded respectfully to the master of the home.

Nezuko was not ready to depart from her brother's hold but managed to peek over his shoulder to say, "Hello, Tomioka-san!"

Though her main objective was her brother, she was not raised in a barn and forgot her manners. Giyuu smiled, charmed by his sister-in-law as usual. To receive a greeting from such a beauty was always a blessing.

"What brings you here?" Tanjirou asked the newlyweds. "You should have sent me a message, so then I would have time to prepare a feast for dinner," he pouted.

In addition, he would have looked more presentable for their arrival. He was self-conscious of his sweaty pits and odor. Earlier he was training to maintain his physique in case Kiriya sent him to another mission, but no matter how much he trained, he was still short and stocky. In comparison, Zenitsu looked more mature as a married man. The remaining baby fat he wore slimmed down and gave him a more pronounced jawline. His long golden hair was held up in a ponytail, giving him an air of nobility and finesse.

"Tanjirou..."

Looks could be deceiving since Zenitsu still radiated menacing waves whenever he disapproved something. Sparks of electricity danced around his arms and legs, zipping through his skin and clothes as if he conducted them out of thin air. Each step vibrated the air surrounding him, and the leaves scattered around his feet as if he repelled them through sheer will.

"Y-yes?" Tanjirou sweated.

A shadow covered Zenitsu's face and darkened his features, leaving Tanjirou to wonder what crime he committed this time.

"We need to talk," he announced and promptly hoisted the shorter man by the collar, leaving Tanjirou stunned by his remarkable speed. One second ago he was approximately five meters away. "My apologies, Tomioka-san," said Zenitsu and stole his husband right under his nose.

When Tanjirou blinked, he found himself in another room and was once again impressed by how fast-footed his friend had become. Upon quick assessment, he realized they were at the opposite end of the estate.

He whistled to demonstrate his awe. "Amazing, Zenitsu," he said with reverence. "You've gotten so strong."

In contrast, Zenitsu snapped.

"TANJIROU!" he screamed. "HOW COULD YOU?!"

Indeed, moments like these made Tanjirou wonder if Zenitsu should have been the Sound Pillar instead of the Thunder Pillar.

"Did I…" He hesitated. "Did I do something wrong?"

Zenitsu almost choked from the foam coming out of his mouth. The man rushed into the dark-haired man's personal space and tugged his haori along with his robe. "YES," he hollered at the top of his lungs, "EVEN NIMWITS LIKE YOU SHOULD KNOW WHEN TO LOOK MODEST OR PROMISCUOUS."

"P-promiscuous?!" Tanjirou replied with incredulity.

Without reprieve, Zenitsu parted his front, exposing the stark marks and dark bruises littering his skin, painting even the most innocent person a visible picture. "SHAMELESS," Zenitsu admonished him, practically screaming into his ear, "OUTRIGHT SHAMELESS."

Tanjirou gasped, truly surprised at his indecent appearance as if he was still a harlot at the Yoshiwara District. Furthermore, he was extremely mortified by the fact that his sister saw a hint of the carnal pleasures he experienced. He pulled up his robe and searched for a scarf to cover the traces of Giyuu's touch upon his blemished skin.

"Hngh! How frustrating!" Zenitsu whined, rolling on the ground like an overgrown baby. "To think that your relationship was this deep," he cried, "Even deeper than the relationship between Nezuko and me!"

Tanjirou doesn't understand why Zenitsu chose this time to be jealous. He wasn't the one who was publicly humiliated in front of his sister. He groaned in his hands. He doesn't know how to face Nezuko now. Nevertheless, in true Zenitsu fashion, he went back to attacking him, poking his huge forehead like a persistent woodpecker.

"Listen up!" Zenitsu grinded his teeth. "I'll forgive you this time because you are my brother-in-law, but next time be conscious of your presentation!"

Tanjirou shyly scratched his cheek, completely understanding of the guilt he should feel but not too sorry that he was wearing Giyuu's love, the proof that he was alive and well. "I'll be more careful," he promised with a genuine smile.

With a blue scarf wrapped around his neck, he led Zenitsu back to his their significant others, who were waiting for them with a cup of tea. Nezuko was in the middle of reenacting a hilarious memory about Zenitsu's days building his dojo until she gestured them to come sit and relax. Tanjirou flushed, recalling the embarrassing truth when he made eye contact with his younger sister, but she paid no heed to his sudden meek personality change or the added article of clothing around his neck. There may have been a wink, but Tanjirou hoped it was his imagination.

As expected, Tanjirou dutifully sat next to Giyuu and adjusted the scarf until he felt comfortable instead of feeling like a noose was choking him to death.

Giyuu wordlessly scooted closer until they were side-by-side. "Is everything fine?" he whispered lowly while Nezuko was engrossed with the climax of her story.

"Yes," he replied quietly.

A small blush tinted Giyuu's cheeks, which made Tanjirou match him in turn. "I'm sorry. I forgot to make you hide them," he murmured sheepishly. "I'll be more careful next time."

Next time, Tanjirou echoed in his mind. He wondered how many times they have left until the deadline. In front of him, Zenitsu was observing Nezuku with a look of devoted adoration because even though she was a demon throughout the duration of their arduous journey, she was still as beautiful and precious as ever. They fell for each other even harder after Nezuko turned back into a human, blindly guiding each other through this awkward dance of courtship until his sister was back on her feet. This was a couple who had a bright and wondrous future ahead of them while he was reaching a dead end.

Fear. This feeling was called fear, and Tanjirou felt hopeless.

"No, you don't have to," he leaned into Giyuu's space and leaned close until his head rested on his husband's shoulder. "They're disappearing," he said mournfully.

The unsaid confession that he liked Giyuu's marks on his body did not go unheard with a recommendation to place them in more obscure areas. Giyuu widened his eyes, wondering if this conversation was too scandalous to hold in front of Zenitsu, who was gifted with enhanced hearing.

Despite having that knowledge, this does not stop him from the smugness that appeared at the curve of his lips.


	7. Chapter 7

Before Tanjirou and Giyuu realized the change of the seasons, autumn was transitioning into winter. The gorgeous orange and yellow hues of the foliage were no longer present, leaving the trees bare and naked. The first frost of snow appeared afterwards, sprinkling the branches and trunks with soft, white dust.

Even though the cold air would freeze anybody's lungs and the snow would drag anybody's feet, Nezuko would faithfully visit the Water estate once a week, though the whining man clasped to her arm wished she would skip a visit once in a while. Tanjirou's sister was a stubborn and forthright lady. No one, not even her husband, could stop her arduous trek in the snow. Thus, Zenitsu accepted the loss, bent to her whims, and followed his wife.

Tanjirou was initially concerned when he heard about her carelessness, but he was also overjoyed to see Nezuko.

Nezuko's locks were silky and clean, Tanjirou thought as he meticulously braided her hair. He was relieved to know that Zenitsu kept his promise to make her the happiest woman alive, shown through the finest silks and kimonos she wore or anything else that enhanced her divine beauty. Next to her, he must have looked like a pauper with his worn out clothes and calloused hands, but they were siblings, bonded by blood and strengthened by love.

"Your food is so good," Nezuko said, rubbing her belly to indicate how bloated she was. "I hope I can make meals as good as yours."

"Seems like you surpassed me," Tanjirou replied with a chuckle. "Zenitsu wouldn't stop singing his praises over your cooking, especially the salmon onigiri you made the other day."

They both laughed, vividly remembering how the man ate the rice ball at a snail's pace, claiming that he had to savor each rice grain that Nezuko poured her whole heart and soul to shape.

"Well, Zenitsu is a simple man," Nezuko hummed and glanced up at the full moon.

A period of comfortable silence fell upon them as the two gazed at the moon. Tanjirou loved these serene moments, snippets of time where he can look back fondly with a copacetic smile and appreciate the quiet life given to them through blood and sacrifices. When he was younger, fresh from the tragedy of his family's massacre and determined to change his sister back into a human, he was ready to dedicate his entire life to eliminate Muzan.

Yet, here he was, domesticated and in love, tied to Giyuu in more ways than one.

He then heard a strange scuffling sound by his side. When he turned to his sister, he watched, transfixed, as she scratched the floorboards with her nails in a strange manner. She seemed agitated, nervous. Her bottom lip was swollen and blistered as if she chewed it viciously all night.

"What's the matter?" he asked her, inching closer.

While clawing the floor with more marks, she answered, "I'm… There might be some changes coming soon."

"Changes?"

Perhaps Nezuko was scared of the possibility of receiving disapproval and judgment from her older brother. Perhaps she was afraid of disrupting the calm peace they finally preserved. After all, she was young and newly married, but when she was set upon an idea, she latched onto it stubbornly.

"Not yet, but," she fidgeted. "I'm… I'm planning to ask Zenitsu if he's ready to have children," she announced at last.

She then placed a hand on her belly with a smile that reminded Tanjirou strongly of their mother, the kind of smile that appeared whenever she sang lullabies or snuggled their siblings.

"I want to rebuild a family," she confessed, pouring out the ache in her heart. "I want to give my children the lives they deserved, the lives our brothers and sisters were robbed from." She clutched the sleeves of her kimono tight, hugging herself and resting her head against Tanjirou's arm.

"Nezuko..." Tanjirou rubbed her back, eyes blinking back the wetness threatening to spill. He knew understood that feeling, the feeling of being a survivor, for they shared the same burden.

"I hope we get a boy," Nezuko continued. "I want to name him Jigoro," she said fondly.

Tanjirou smiled and agreed. "Zenitsu would like that," he said.

The man would sob buckets if his firstborn was named after his gramps.

"A family, huh..." Tanjirou allowed the news to sink in, once again stricken that his baby sister was growing up.

She was no longer the precious baby he cradled in his arms; instead, she was going to be the one to nurse her own young.

"Nii-chan," Nezuko looked at him with searching eyes, "Did you ever want to have your own, too?"

Her question prompted his thoughts to a stop. He never seriously considered having children. Ever since that dreadful day where the snow was stained with blood and the air reeked of death, his hopes for the future were thrown out the window because he was hellbent on cutting Muzan down. He was solely dedicated to turn Nezuko back into a human, but when he achieved his goals, he waded in the water, unable to find solid, stable ground.

Children. He pondered over the concept. Children like Hanako who clung to his side like a koala, begging him to play games with her. Children like Rokuta who cried whenever he left to sell coal, putting up a fierce tantrum until he was out of sight.

"Maybe," he said. A small curve appeared on his lips. "It sounds nice."

However, that kind, fuzzy feeling halted when he sniffed the air once he recognized Giyuu's scent lurking in the shadows, causing a deeper, sharper pang to shoot through his core. There was a sour aftertaste in his mouth, but he does not know if it came from the raven-haired man or himself.

Nezuko turned her head and caught Giyuu's retreating figure. Though she was not fully aware of the doubts clouding their minds, she sensed Tanjirou's uneasy expression. Call it sister's intuition, but her brother needed to go.

Her hand landed on her brother's back, a strong back that once held more than logs and demons. Now, he needed the slight push to carry on.

"Go to him," she said and pressed his back with force.

XXX

"I did not mean to eavesdrop," Giyuu apologized once they were alone in their room. The night was dark, but their room was lit with candlelight.

There was an awkward spell between them, much different from the usual nights they shared together. Giyuu broke the silence when he lowered himself and patted his lap as an invitation for his lover. Tanjirou took light steps, gauging his reaction until he laid his head on Giyuu's lap, hitching his breath as the man began to card his fingers through his red tresses. Tanjirou closed his eyes and relished the feel of gentle hands massaging his scalp. He wished all nights were like this, simple and clean, with no impending death in their wake, but that was not the case.

Tanjirou nuzzled against his thigh and sighed. He doesn't know what to do.

"I won't blame you if you marry another person once I pass away," Giyuu spoke up. "I'll even give you my blessings," he added.

Without warning, Tanjirou felt a searing pain flash within him, a pain that made him clench his fists until his veins popped out.

"I won't," he snapped back.

Surprised by his tone of voice, Giyuu was almost speechless. "Tanjirou..."

Giyuu knew Tanjirou cannot grieve forever, and though the idea of Tanjirou continuing his life with someone else destroyed him, above all else, he wanted Tanjirou to be happy. Even if they adopted children, the fact remained the same. He was going to die whether he wanted to or not, and Giyuu could not handle the weight of abandoning Tanjirou with a child alone. It was too much to bear.

They were tragic. Completely and utterly tragic.

Giyuu was not a speaker or a well-versed individual who could seamlessly convey their feelings, so all he had left were stunted words and cryptic phrases. He had so much to say, so much to do. He wanted to promise Tanjirou that he will try defy fate and live as long as possible despite the odds, or at least until he can meet Nezuko's child and watch Tanjirou's face flushed with joy. He wanted to soak their memories together with laughter and soft kisses, strained moans and bruising marks. Most of all, he wanted to fill their lives with happiness until it reached the brim.

Yet, here in Tanjirou's presence, he lost those words, as if they spilled out of his mouth before he could voice them.

Even so, he kept the most important ones at heart.

"I love you," he said aloud rather than keeping it in his chest.

Tanjirou sniffled because though their communication left room to be resolved, he loved Giyuu as well.

"I love-" He started, but then Giyuu covered his mouth and began to make hacking sounds, as if he was trying to vomit something out.

He coughed a fit; his body racked with jolts and convulsions for over a minute. The sounds were severe enough for Nezuko and Zenitsu to barge into the room, immediately assisting Tanjirou to stabilize him. The coughing fit was brief, and when the coughs died down, Giyuu was feebly wheezing as he tried to breathe, shocked by the episode that just happened.

He blanked out as Tanjirou asked him questions about his condition. He stared at his hands and paled.

Specks of blood painted his palms.


	8. Chapter 8

Giyuu's crow rarely made urgent messages. The Water Pillar was always concerned for his old friend, especially during the days when the elderly crow would totter into battle blindly or disappear for weeks to deliver a simple letter. Despite the heart attacks and the calls, the thought of requesting a different crow never crossed his mind because over the coarse of his maturity as a demon slayer, he considered the frail creature as his family. Luckily for him, the grandfatherly crow also viewed Giyuu as one of his hatchlings, too. Though, that doesn't erase the days when Giyuu's responses to Tanjirou went missing.

However, there would be instances when the crow would successfully do his job, such as handing him reports of Tanjirou's whereabouts and Kiriya's summons. Today was one of those instances, but this was not a matter of a foolhardy crush or professional business. This time it was a moment of mourning and grief.

Shinazugawa Sanemi was dead.

"No..." Tanjirou covered his mouth in stricken shock. "He… It can't be..."

Just the thought of Genya alone brought fresh, hot tears to his eyes. He lowered his head in sorrow, quietly weeping over the loss of another friend. Hunched over in pain, Tanjirou poured out his heart and cried, making the most tortured sounds. Giyuu wanted to comfort him, to wipe away the droplets and kiss those red-rimmed eyes, but a melancholic hush blanketed over him. He was not as open with his feelings, and his eyes were dry. Yet, he felt awash with sadness and trembled from the news.

They were formally invited to the funeral and the wake.

A dreary rain befell upon the Shinazugawa household upon their arrival. Everyone offered Genya their condolences, but the man seemed too broken to share the burden.

"I think we all feel a little broken inside, too," Zenitsu said to Nezuko, gently rubbing her shoulder as she cried against his chest because even though they were at odds, he was an ally nonetheless.

The procession was all a blur; Giyuu doesn't even remember the hours they committed to prayer. However, he distinctly remembered the moment Tanjirou pushed him into a room, slid the door shut, and abandoned him to comfort Sanemi's younger brother. Before his lover left them alone, the young man winked at them with an optimism that did not fit with the occasion.

Genya gawked and was stunned silent.

"DAMMIT TANJIROU." he screeched.

There was obviously an objective Giyuu had to accomplish here, but he was barely acquainted with the gentleman who sported a mohawk. They were practically strangers, and Genya looked like he would rather die than to be in the same room as him. Well, the dislike was not surprising since since he tend to get those vibes. Tanjirou was just an anomaly who somehow fell in love with him.

"Do..." he had to tread carefully, "Do you know why he brought me here?"

The younger Shinazugawa showed his demonic colors as he ripped out a board from the floor and shredded it to bits, munching on the wood as if it would relieve his stress. Giyuu awkwardly observed him and thought about how unsafe it would be to walk in this room. Perhaps his job was to babysit him before he chased after some harmful self-destructive habits.

"Dammit," Genya continued chewing with tears dripping down his chin. "Did you know?" He sniffled and wiped away his tears with his sleeve. He looked at him with haunted eyes and bared fangs. "Did you know he was going to die?"

Giyuu could not lie. "Yes."

Genya shot up and sprinted towards him with his fist, and Giyuu braced himself for the punch, stiffening his muscles to accept the anger directed towards him. However, Genya missed and swung the air next to his cheek until he rammed it to the ground with a sickening crack.

"Dammit…" Genya heaved, his voice broken and cracked.

The young man crumpled to the ground, losing his composure by each second.

"Why?" he asked like a lost child, but the question was not posed for anybody to answer. "Why did he wait? Why didn't he trust me?!"

Days before Sanemi passed away, Genya caught him red-handed coughing out blood into a handkerchief. They argued all night, loud enough to shake their humble household until Sanemi collapsed with more blood dripping from his nose. Nothing could be achieved through pointing fingers. Thus, Genya dragged his older brother to the mountains, and they watched the sunset together with apologies in their tongues and salt in their tears. The time they had left was too short, too quick to process, and before Genya accepted the inevitable, he lost a brother and gained immense regret.

"I'm..." Giyuu coughed another fit, hacking out phlegm and specks of blood.

These violent fits occurred more frequently than he would have liked and felt shame. His expression was downcast when he saw the depressed look Genya gave him. He knew his time was almost up, and death would wait at his door sooner than later.

"I'm sorry," Giyuu finished with a bit of spit still clinging to the corner of his mouth.

He doesn't know why he apologized on behalf of Sanemi; perhaps he apologized because the man was no longer alive to say those words.

Genya's cries quieted down, and only slight sniffles filled the silence in the room. Sanemi's death aged him, and the furrows between his brows were stark and marred his youth.

"Live," his voice was grainy and weak. "Your happiness..." His eyes were misty once more. "It's no longer just yours."

His back looked heavy and full of burden as if his body would sink into this house. Giyuu closed his eyes and felt a log wedged in his throat. Inside, he prayed for these brothers to reincarnate and to reunite in the next life. He wished for their happiness deep in his soul because if anybody deserved happiness, the Shinazugawa brothers deserved it the most.

XXX

A week after the funeral, everybody went home, including Tanjirou and Giyuu, and resumed their daily lives. At the time, Tanjirou was in the middle of sweeping the floor and performing other chores while Giyuu was cooking dinner.

"Tanjirou," Giyuu called out his name.

"Yes, Giyuu-san?"

At the beginning, Giyuu accepted the consequences of the mark, and even if he was given the chance to go back in time, he would not change a single decision. When he approached Tanjirou, he was under the impression that happiness came gradually like a bottle slowly being filled. However, he reached a revelation, one he learned from Genya before it was too late.

"Let's..." He had to be brave, he told himself, to not run away with cold feet. "Would you..."

He bit his tongue and grunted in pain.

"Giyuu-san!" Tanjirou dropped his broom and went to his side without question. A smudge of dirt was on the tip of his nose, and Giyuu fondly brushed it away with the pad of his thumb. "What's wrong?" Tanjirou worriedly asked, afraid that the symptoms worsened.

Happiness was much sweeter when shared together, and Giyuu was more determined than ever to preserve it. He grasped those calloused hands, twined them together and kissed those kind fingers, fingers that grasped his hair whenever he captured his lips, fingers that carded through his hair whenever he needed an anchor. His lips curved into a smile when he heard Tanjirou hitched his breath and felt his tongue loosen when he swallowed his lover's gasp. He kissed him differently this time, moving against his pliant mouth and played with his tongue. Tanjirou held his shoulders and panted harshly when they separated besides the thin layer of spit still connected between their lips.

"Giyuu, what," he flustered and fumbled.

"Let's have a child," he said.

Because he wanted this kind of happiness, too, he told himself. More importantly, he thought as he watched Tanjirou's eyes widen with a different shine, he wanted Tanjirou to experience happiness with him.


	9. Chapter 9

"A child," Tanjirou sputtered like a dying faucet, "How are we – No, don't answer that – Do you understand..."

He combusted into flames as his mouth continued to flap like the wings of a bird.

Giyuu gently cradled Tanjirou's hands and imagined them holding smaller ones, and he glimpsed of another future where they would swing their ball of sunshine to and fro without a care in the world. Tanjirou would be flushed with unspeakable joy, so much that Giyuu couldn't help himself from kissing those rosy cheeks. He would press all his hopes and dreams into his lover's flesh until they were marked and branded with his existence.

"Giyuu-san," Tanjirou looked away with conflicted eyes, "You cannot joke about this."

"I'm not," he replied with clear-cut conviction. "I love you, Tanjirou. I want to bring you happiness as well." Then he asked and tightened his grip, "Do you want this?"

His husband, his love, his flame gulped as he finally recognized that this question was no strange ploy to tease him. Normally at Tanjirou's age, he would have been expecting a little one. He was not blind to the curious glances in his direction whenever he stepped out of the Water Estate, the needling stares whenever there was a missing woman at his side.

"I do," Tanjirou said, "But..." Speaking out the truth wounded him. His voice was tinged with misery. "But what is the point if you're going to leave us?"

Tanjirou knew Kamado Kie was a strong, independent woman, especially after his father passed away, but he was not ignorant to the stale air that surrounded her and the hardships she faced raising six children by herself. Along with Nezuko, he tried to lessen the load, but he also grieved and cried crocodile tears when his father succumbed to his sickness. He cannot exert this kind of pain onto another unsuspecting child. It would be too close to home, a home where he cannot return, a home that was tainted by Muzan's claws.

"I'm," Giyuu was almost speechless, "I'm sorry," he said lamely. For the first time in many years, tears bloomed at the corner of his ocean-filled eyes. "I wish I could give you happiness," he said as they dripped down his cheeks. "But I seem to be doing the opposite," he sniffled and wiped his sleeve.

"I just..." He took a shuddered breath and clutched his left breast with a furrowed brow. His sallow skin and darkened bags gave him an unhealthy glow. "Wanted to leave something behind," Giyuu said helplessly. "Why," he gritted his teeth and lowered his head. His frustrations leaked out. "I want so much," he cried, "But I can't."

All he had done was hurt Tanjirou and inconvenience him, and in turn, he had hurt himself. Before his body registered the solid chest pressed against him, he stained Tanjirou's front with his tears, an unrelenting torrent that refused to stop. His lover wrapped him with an encompassing embrace and kissed away his tears, and Giyuu accepted his chapped lips as a welcoming touch.

"Giyuu-san," Tanjirou said his name with raw emotion, "I love you."

Despite the loss of his father, Tanjirou remembered as he held the dying man close, he never considered his mother as an unfortunate woman. There were struggles as a poor coal burner family, but her children supported her through thick and thin. Love was abundant within the Kamado family, and mentions of his deceased father would often bring a conflicted but peaceful smile upon her face.

Without a doubt, Kie missed Tanjurou, but she lived her life without regret. Loving his father was never a mistake.

Tanjirou held Giyuu tighter and silently prayed for his mother to give him courage and strength. "Please," he pressed his lips upon the crown of his husband's head, "Please give me time to think."

Even though he said that, he thought bitterly, there was never enough.

XXX

Raising a child was no easy decision, which was why Tanjirou took at least a month until he agreed to pursue this laborious path. When Giyuu and Tanjirou presented their case to Kiriya, he granted them permission to adopt and used his connections to hand them a beautiful toddler.

"Her parents were killed by demons," he said with pity because he understood how difficult it was to lose a father and mother at such a young age. "She was the only survivor, and there were no relatives to claim her."

Immediately, Tanjirou and Giyuu accepted her into their dynamic.

She was a beautiful child with obsidian-colored hair and ebony eyes with an ever-present curiosity. Her wide eyes soaked in her surroundings, and she would speak coherently and incoherently day and night, tramping around the household with confident strides.

Nezuko announced she was pregnant when she first met the child, and Zenitsu was once again livid when he discovered Tanjirou had beat him to the punch.

"YOU!" His finger stabbed Tanjirou's cheek without mercy, twisting it viciously with envy. "YOU CAN'T EVEN REPRODUCE AND YET YOU GOT A CHILD BEFORE US?!"

Tanjirou was not aware there was a competition between them, but then again, he was also not aware this bothered his brother-in-law so much, which earned him another verbal lashing and a chunk of missing hair.

"If this keeps up," Tanjirou whined as Giyuu patted his poor head, "I'll turn bald before Nezuko's child is born."

Inosuke, on the other hand, was entirely ignorant of Tanjirou's relationship with Giyuu. There was no mean-spiritedness behind his obliviousness, but he was flabbergasted to see Tanjirou carrying a child in his arms when he crashed into their home. In his defense, he assumed Tanjirou was dutifully training with Giyuu and learning all his secret moves before he kicked the bucket.

"Well, he is learning some moves, but not the moves you're thinking of," Zenitsu snickered before he got chopped by Tanjirou's righteous hand.

Inosuke froze a whole minute. His response proved that he was slowly accommodating to human society since he picked up the blond's joke. "HAH? GONPACHIRO AND MISMATCHED HAORI ARE MATING?!"

Sadly, Inosuke was the second victim to Tanjirou's righteous hand.

The trio were a rambunctious bunch, and despite their crass jokes and uproarious banter, Giyuu observed them with a hint of a smile. Already Tanjirou's spirits were lifted. Fujiko's arrival brought so many blessings to their household, and Giyuu made sure to treasure each moment, to burn everything into his memory.

Then a voice interrupted his thoughts. "Food!"

Giyuu flickered his gaze to the toddler staring up at his towering form with wide eyes.

"Food!" Fujiko demanded again.

"Hungry?" He asked with a lilt to his voice in order to pitch it in a friendlier tone. He bent down and extended his hand to his daughter, who instinctively took it without question. Her hands were so small, he noted before he hoisted her upon his shoulders. Yet, he smirked as the young girl shrieked in delight, she was large enough to fill in a certain gap in his heart.

"I'll make us some salmon daikon," he told her and headed towards the kitchen.

**A/N: I chose the name Fujiko because Fuji = Wisteria, which was perfect for a child between two demon slayers and who survived against the demons.**


	10. Chapter 10

The sun steadily sank in the horizon, signifying the night, and more importantly, the end of the year. New Year was approaching, and with its arrival, Tanjirou welcomed it with a dance, but not just any dance – the Hinokami Kagura. He wore the traditonal garb proudly and allowed Fujiko to touch the intricate designs with fascination. Her hands splayed over the flames and eagerly touched the fabric with a squeal.

"Cute!" she exclaimed, though she meant to say beautiful. She was at a stage in her development where she called everything cute.

Tanjirou chuckled and pressed their foreheads together with a smile. "Soon, little one," he gently kissed her forehead as she yawned, "I will entrust this dance and earrings to you. Just like how my father entrusted them to me."

"Tanjirou," Giyuu said his name and stole his attention from his precious wisteria flower. The raven-haired man carried the child with his good arm to place her in the basket where she would be warm and bundled. "The sun is almost gone," he informed him.

With a nod, Tanjirou lit up the poles, the very same poles that would be his company from the beginning to the end. "You should go inside," he looked over his shoulder hesitantly. "Your sickness has worsened so much," he said and glanced at his lover's paralyzed arm. A week ago he almost dropped Fujiko when the paralysis started.

"I want to stay," Giyuu said with a stubborn streak and held Fujiko close. "I'll take us inside before the cold numb her cheeks."

Tanjirou huffed and narrowed his eyes. "But-"

"Please," he croaked and begged with those oceanic eyes. "I need to stay." He needed to remember this, he told himself, for this would probably be the last time he would witness the Hinokami Kagura.

Tanjirou softened and moved to kiss this man one last time before he ventured back into the see-through world. Giyuu moved his headdress aside and leaned forward to close the distance between their lips to savor his taste, his touch. As they parted, no words of love were exchanged. This was a time of prayer, and when Tanjirou danced, marking the beginning of the thirteen forms, the dancer prayed to the fire god, to Yoriichi, to his family, and to all who celebrate life. Flames trailed after his feet and licked his heels. He moved with unyielding tenacity because each stroke and rotation was performed with power.

Giyuu lost his breath, not because of the sickness that ails him, but because of the beauty bestowed upon him tonight. This was the man he married, the man who stayed by his side until the end of time. His eyes grew tired and dry because he refused to blink, refused to let them rest. After all, how could anyone close their eyes to a dance dedicated to the gods?

XXX

"A party?" Tanjirou asked. He bit his lip with disapproval.

"Yes, a party," the raven-haired man repeated his request. "It has been almost a year," Giyuu pointed out, and though he felt guilt when Tanjirou winced, he should not sugarcoat the obvious. "I want to celebrate my time with my friends," he glanced outside, noting the warmer weather and longer days.

His daughter was attempting to practice the Hinokami Kagura with a stick, twirling around and around until she got dizzy and confused, which earned a slight chuckle to slip through Giyuu's lips. Tanjirou trailed his eyes after Giyuu's and also saw their daughter fail and fall, who rubbed her little bum and tried to stand back up like a newborn fawn.

He rolled up his sleeves and sighed in defeat. "Well then," he said. "I guess I'll prepare the invitations."

Everyone, friends from far and wide, trekked through whatever obstacles that came their way to celebrate with Giyuu and Tanjirou. Zenitsu was in charge of music and was in the midst of introducing Fujiko the shamisen, who listened with as much rapt attention a toddler can provide. Despite his initial envy, Zenitsu fell in love with her right away, doting on her with every second he could get.

"There he goes," Nezuko snickered to Tanjirou as the siblings watch him praise his niece after she strummed the instrument.

"He would be a good father," Tanjirou commented as the other women cooed over his sister's belly.

"Make sure he doesn't spoil the children, though," Giyuu interjected and seated himself next to Tanjirou. Right on cue, Zenitsu swooned over Fujiko's feeble attempts and promised to pay for all her classes if she planned to pursue a career.

"She's only two, Zenitsu," Tanjirou called out.

"SUCCESS DOESN'T CARE ABOUT AGE!" He hollered back.

A pleasant smell washed over Tanjirou, reminiscent of the sea breeze and its salty spray. Without conscious thought, he leaned towards the ocean's scent and took a deep inhale.

"They're a handful," he said and nuzzled against the nape of his husband's neck, burying himself in his soothing scent. "I thought you were having fun with Urokodaki-san," he said.

His breath subtly tickled against his skin, causing Giyuu to slightly shiver. Knowing how much of an effect he had on him, the crimson-eyed man continued to speak.

"What's wrong, Giyuu-san?" he asked coyly with batted eyes and pink cheeks. "Are you cold?"

The man with the checkered haori shifted closer until he was almost seated on Giyuu's lap, probably with the intention to warm him with his body heat. Though Giyuu's senses were not as sharp as his, the older man could sniff a whiff of alcohol in his breath.

"If you want," he whispered with a lazy smile, ignorant of the way how his haori partially slipped off his shoulder, "I can share some of my warmth with you."

To add insult to Giyuu's remarkable restraint, he proceeded to mouth over his collarbone, slowly stripping off his haori to look more enticing to his lover. A flash of longing overwhelmed Giyuu, but among the presence of so many, especially Tanjirou's younger sister, he resisted the desire to carry him back to their room to ravish him and halted his advances.

Overall, the party was a huge success. Inosuke arrived late and crashed into the party with mud and wild game as an apology gift. Giyuu even managed to catch Kanao, who was more talkative these days, and shared some memories and stories about her older sisters with a lighter heart.

He greeted his friends, both new and old, and reforged the bonds he made with them in hopes of reforging them again in the future. Tonight was a celebration, not only for his life, but also for the lives who touched his life. Somewhere down the line, Giyuu let out a laugh, not boisterous or thunderous like Kyoujurou, but soft and unfiltered, unrestrained and free. Looking back, Giyuu probably laughed because Urokodaki had put Inosuke in his place when he challenged the old man to a fight. Much more sober than before, Tanjirou laughed with his husband as well. Contagious, the rest of the party followed suit, minus one Inosuke since his head was planted into the ground.

The night was a whirlwind of fun and music. Their guests left with a belly full of food and drinks. As the night dwindled, the hosts of the party finally settled down after a couple hours of cleaning. Tanjirou flopped back onto the polished floors and groaned for a well-earned bath. Exhausted he rolled to his side to support himself but stopped when he heard a voice from above.

"Thank you, Tanjirou."

He blinked, and at the corner of his eye, Giyuu shadowed over him as his larger frame eclipsed over his. The lustful desire from earlier curdled within him. Indeed, he was like a beautiful painting with his hair undone and draped over his shoulders. Perhaps this was a trick of the eyes, but the moonlight illuminating behind him seemed to form an ethereal halo.

Before Tanjirou could escape from those devastating eyes and tempting lips, he was caged, barred from moving to a different room. Giyuu's head dipped low, and Tanjirou reciprocated with half-mast eyes and a drawn-out, passionate kiss. Considerate of Giyuu's limp arm, Tanjirou rolled them over until he straddled his hips and continued where they started, the lips unable to part.

Tanjirou had danced for Giyuu. He danced the Hinokami Kagura from dusk to dawn. Tonight, he sang for Giyuu. He sung litanies of love and praise until he was hoarse and gone.

XXX

Tanjirou was not present during his father's death because he was busy selling charcoal in town. Taking up the mantle as the breadwinner was no easy task, but as the eldest son, he was obligated to do it because his father was too emaciated and sick. When he returned, he never forgot that smell, the haunting smell of a deceased man.

Dropping everything, Tanjirou rushed inside and knew, but sometimes seeing is believing.

Two weeks after Nezuko gave birth, two weeks after Giyuu held the baby in his arms, two days after Fujiko said that she loves her parents, Tanjirou knew the day was here. His nose was never mistaken, and when he approached Giyuu's room and saw the pale, wheezing form of his lover, Tanjirou knelt down and held him tight.

"My heart is full," Giyuu told him yesterday while munching on rice crackers.

"Mines, too," Tanjirou replied and felt his ego balloon when Giyuu followed his comment about how he made the best rice crackers.

Tanjirou gingerly laid him on his lap and gripped his hand, to tell him he was here, to tell him he was not afraid.

"If I was going to die," Giyuu randomly brought up a month ago, "I wouldn't mind hearing you sing."

"I'm not exactly the best singer," Tanjirou scratched the back of his neck with bashful modesty.

"I know," Giyuu smiled, "But your voice relaxes me."

Then Tanjirou sang, not a song of mourning and sorrow, but his own song, a song of love and kindness and protection.

"Are you happy, Giyuu-san?" Tanjirou asked him one night as he was spooned and sated and warm.

"There was never a single day where I was unhappy with you, Tanjirou," he said quietly.

XXX

"Giyuu-san," Tanjirou said, "We should go inside, or we'll get cold."

There was no response. There was only silence. That, and the sound of his hushed weeping.


	11. Chapter 11

"Fujiko-chan! Over here!" Her friends would wave to catch her attention as she dashed out in a hurry. After all, she shouldn't be late to her lessons.

"Thank you for waiting!" She clapped her hands together and bowed to sincerely apologize.

"You can say sorry later! Let's go!" They tugged her sleeve to leave, but before they could hurry, someone tugged her other sleeve.

She whirled around, ready to strike, but halted her attack when she turned to her humble-looking father with a bento in his hand. "You forgot this, little one," he gave her a crinkled smile.

She was no longer little, and she was no longer the only child since her father adopted more displaced children over the years. However, this was a nickname her late father reserved for her, so she kept it with grace and dignity.

She hugged her father without humiliation and took a deep inhale, taking in his kind, woodsy scent. "Thank you!" She snatched her lunch and ran off before she was left behind, which was an easy task because she was the most athletic in the group. She doesn't see the slight shake of his head or hear the slight chuckle from his lips, but she knew he was always amused by her antics.

"I don't usually see your father," one of the girls mentioned, "But he wears a strange outfit, doesn't he?"

Fujiko's smile grew wider at the mention of his weird half-and-half haori and later explained that he would wear a green checkered one more often. "He wears that when he's very happy," she told them. "So happy that he shares his happiness with someone else!"

XXX

Years ago, Fujiko and her father would visit Giyuu's grave almost every week.

"Pretty," Fujiko would say in awe as they approached Giyuu's grave, which was surrounded by an abundance of beautiful red flowers.

"They're red spider lilies," Tanjirou pointed out and knelt next to the stone slab with a bittersweet smile. They were typically found in funerals since many people assumed they would lead a path to the afterlife.

There was a sad legend linked to these flowers, one of separation and tragedy. From what he recalled, there were two elves: one who took care of the flower and one who took care of the leaves. They were not destined to meet, yet they defied destiny, met, and fell in love. The gods were angered and separated them for eternity, so whenever the flowers wilted, the leaves would grow and vice versa.

When he told this to his daughter, she paused before she asked him with a serious expression, "Do you think he saw them?"

Taken aback, Tanjirou pondered over her question in deep thought. He took a minute before he reached a conclusion. "I think so," he answered truthfully and strengthened his broken heart. He blinked away the tears as he bowed to pay his respects. The flowers would have been fitting, he thought, for just like the two lovers, Tanjirou and Giyuu could never be together again.

XXX

"You don't like this kimono?" Nezuko tilted her head, troubled. "But it's such a lovely red color."

Fujiko puffed out her cheeks, a habit she must have copied from her father and confessed, "I don't like them because they have the sad flowers."

"Sad flowers?" Nezuko caressed the high quality silk and tried to reason with her niece. "You mean the higanbana?"

The young child nodded and reiterated the tale her father shared with her. "I don't want sad flowers. I want to wear happy flowers," she said and imagined herself donning cute sunflower sleeves or vibrant red roses.

"They're not sad flowers," Nezuko contradicted her words.

"Father told me that lying is bad," she replied bluntly.

Not expecting such a straightforward answer, Nezuko immediately laughed and held her belly as if her guts were about to spill out. "Fujiko-chan," she snorted, "You are such an adorable child." She then held one of her tiny hands and said, "Those flowers have many names."

She laid out the peach-colored silk and looked at the flowers fondly. "They are also known as reincarnation flowers."

The young girl sent her aunt a confused look. "Re-Recarnation?"

"Yes, reincarnation."

"What does that mean?"

Nezuko hummed, tapping her chin with her finger as she tried to think of a way to simplify the concept. "People die," she said, "But someday they'll come back and be reborn."

"Even father?" She asked with fresh, dewy eyes.

"Yes," Nezuko nodded, brimming with hope and the wisdom of a woman who survived the days when demons conquered the night. Perhaps not today or tomorrow or ten years, but she believed that someday Tanjirou and Giyuu would be reunited again.

XXX

Many others who witnessed the tragic but strong, passionate love between the two believed as well, always praying, never waning. Though the demon slayers were not recognized for their triumphs, the children of the ones who survived lived to tell the tale. Through generations, Kamado Tanjirou was given many names. A legend. A savior. A god.

The ones who were truly close to him knew who he was. A brother. A father. A friend.

But to Giyuu, he was always his. Nothing more, nothing less.

XXX

Kamado Tanjirou is a baker's son. His father had fallen ill over the past year, so to pick up the slack, he would enter the bakery at 3 A.M sharp and start kneading dough. Without wasting a second, he would finish at least a thousand pastries and loaves before he rushed back home to walk his younger siblings to school. Balancing high school and work was a handful, but with the support of his friends of family, Tanjirou still managed to maintain his sanity.

At times, he questioned if he was ever sane because he remembered. He remembered everything even though the memories came in increments. Flashes of his past life would appear in his dreams, sometimes thrusting him into a nightmare that felt too real to be true. His family's blood and their gory massacre haunted him for weeks and he hugged his family too much until they were uncomfortable. The present was safe and secure. No demons will enter their household.

"Another dream?" Nezuko asked him as she caught him dozing off.

His cheeks burned as he kneaded the dough harder, digging into it to chase away the embarrassing thoughts. "Yeah… Something like that."

Over the years, he managed to reunite with most of his friends, and he was ecstatic to see them in this life. As expected, they all have no recollection of their past lives, but despite the utter confusion displayed on their faces, most of his friends and family listened to his crazy rambles. What was driving Tanjirou nuts was Giyuu's absence. His eyes always wandered to find him, seeking for any semblance of the man he once loved, but alas, the gods seemed motivated to keep them apart.

Last night's dream felt so realistic, so tangible in his grasp as he remembered that irreplaceable scent, the salty sea breeze brushing his nose. "Stay," the Giyuu in his dreams would sweetly whisper behind him, peppering kisses into his neck and shoulder to convince him to not get up.

Nezuko giggled, interrupting his thoughts. "You have that silly look on you again," she said, amused, as if her brother's lovelorn expression was the epitome of entertainment.

Embarrassed, Tanjirou scratched the back of his neck.

"Was it Giyuu-san again?" Nezuko asked with a sly curve of her lips. Her intuition was on-point. "I never met this man, but you talk about him so much that it's almost like I should know him."

"Nezukooo," he whined and clamped his ears as he hustled back to the bakery, running away from his sister's teasing. Compared to their past life, Nezuko was more spunky and willing to make any jabs toward her eldest. Anything to rile her brother into a ripe tomato.

"Nii-san!" Takeo was the first one to greet him. "Welcome back!"

Like ants attracted to sugar, the younger siblings emerged from their study area at the first sign of their beloved brother. They squealed in delight and pounced him without warning, almost bringing him off-kilter until Nezuko pushed him back upright.

"Nii-chan, nii-chan!" The children circled around him as they told him their accomplishments. As a good brother, Tanjirou listened to each one and gave free pats, congratulating his siblings for their high scores or good deeds.

Indeed, he was grateful, even blessed, to have his family right here, right now, thriving and living.

"Oh! I almost forgot. Someone complimented your curry bread," said Takeo. "He was insistent on giving his thanks, but you just missed him."

"He was a handsome man," his mother appeared from the kitchen. "Ever since he came here, he has been visiting our bakery everyday."

"That's because Tanjirou bakes the best bread," a customer piped up.

Looking over his shoulder, Tanjirou beamed at the new visitor. "Genya! Welcome! You're already finished with the contest?" Trailing behind his friend was his incredibly intimidating brother who looked famished for a yakisoba bread.

Making a peace sign, Genya gave him a smug smile. "Got a medal to prove it."

"Alright!" He congratulated him with a high five. "Lunch is on me!"

"Shut up. This is my treat. Hurry up with the buddy-buddy stuff and get your bread," Sanemi grumbled. "The faster we leave, the faster you can catch up on your math homework."

Tanjirou sighed for Genya's behalf. After all, having a math teacher as one's older brother must be stressful.

The rest of the day was quite uneventful, but nonetheless, Tanjirou was in good spirits to see so many familiar faces in one day. The next pair that entered was Mitsuri and Obanai, and unsurprisingly, the couple ordered a whopping five boxes of bread and pastries. When Takeo innocently asked if they were hosting a party, the cheery college student informed him that her wonderful boyfriend was treating her to dinner. Later on the young Kamado learned that she somehow fitted five boxes worth of bread and pastries into the dark void that is her stomach.

"Have a good evening!" Tanjirou waved farewell to Shinobu-senpai. "Say hello to Kanao-chan for me!"

"Don't work too hard, Kamado-kun," she replied with a fond smile.

As she exited, Tanjirou was glad. They haven't interacted much in school grounds, but he could tell that she was happier and laid-back. From the sidelines, he recognized that she still chose the pharmaceutical route in her career, but unlike her previous motivation to destroy demons and avenge her sister's death, she chose this path out of her own volition. Her scent was no longer bitter and remorseful.

"Speaking of working too hard," his mother momentarily spooked him as if she appeared out of thin air, "You should go home."

"I can handle a couple more hours," he said.

His mother gave him a stern look, one that shouldn't be refuted. "You are the only who still hasn't finished their homework."

"Oooooo, Nii-chan is in trouble," he heard.

Well, there was no good argument against that. "But the bread-"

"The bread can wait, Tanjirou," his father teamed up with his mother, and at that point, Tanjirou had no other choice but to admit defeat. Together, his mother and father were an unstoppable force. Not even the strongest typhoon could move his parents. "Education comes first."

Therefore, with nothing left to hold him back, he gathered his belongings and left. The September air was crisp and clean, and Tanjirou took his time to walk across the bridge to enjoy the scenery. The yellow, orange, and brown hues of the path he walked captivated him, and when he took a deep inhale of the flower scent coming from the nearby river, he felt a pull within him.

He was immersed in the scent, deathly so, as if a magnet was at the source of the smell. In front of him was a garden of red spider lilies, and Tanjirou crouched down with wonder.

"So beautiful," he said with excitement. He then sniffed and exhaled with a content smile. "They finally bloomed." He made a mental note to bring his siblings tomorrow, but before he stood up, he sensed a presence behind him. A tall shadow took over his frame.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" The man behind him said. "But not as beautiful as you."

Time must have stopped. Or at least, he should be dreaming because Tanjirou heard that familiar voice only in his dreams.

"It can't..." His ears never deceived him. Tanjirou choked out a cry, for the words were trapped in his throat. Then he turned around. "You remember?"

The feeling that bloomed within Tanjirou was indescribable, an emotion that cannot simply be etched into paper or categorized as a form of happiness. He lost the sensation of his legs as if they melted and merged with the ground. The overpowering scent of the salty sea and pine grew stronger as Giyuu embraced him tight and held him as someone precious.

"I do," Giyuu murmured into his shoulder. "Every single day, I can't stop thinking about you."

Tanjirou felt the wetness on his shoulder, and with that, his barriers collapsed until he cried, and infinite amount of tears pouring from his his sunset-colored eyes. What a sight they must have looked, two grown men sobbing into each other's arms, but this was a reunion worth waiting.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. There was no rush into this relationship because they had all the time in the world.

XXX

"So this is the enigmatic Giyuu-san," Nezuko hovered around the adult, checking him out from head to toe. Giyuu sweat-dropped under her scrutinizing gaze as he carefully bought his curry bread. "Not bad, Onii-chan," she approved. "You have good taste."

"Nezuko!" he reprimanded hotly.

"What?" She stuck out her tongue. "You have my blessings."

As crimson as his eyes, Tanjirou tackled back, "I don't want to hear that from you when you have Zenitsu."

"That's a low blow coming from you," she huffed and hopped away with a tint of red on the tips of her ears.

These days Giyuu and Tanjirou fumbled awkwardly as they try to figure out where to continue. Without the survivor's guilt chaining Giyuu down, he became a teacher with the rekindled passion to foster tomorrow's youth. There was an apparent harshness in his methods, but this attitude was perfect in a college setting. Coincidentally, he ended up teaching at the college Tanjirou was planning to attend in the following year.

"Remember to bring him back an hour," his father reminded them as they went out for dinner.

"I will, sir," Giyuu bowed with respect.

At first, his parents were wary of the older gentleman, somehow convinced he was obscenely forcing himself upon Tanjirou. Hilariously, the situation seemed reverse with the amount of times Tanjirou "accidentally" undressed himself in his room or "coincidentally" wore revealing clothing like a seductress.

"I don't want to lose your parent's trust," Giyuu said and gently placed a chaste kiss on his forehead. "If we did something, they would know right away," he sneakily removed Tanjirou's hands away from his belt and eased him to the sofa.

With pouty lips, Tanjirou snuggled closer as a consolation prize. "They wouldn't," he muttered.

Giyuu barked out a laugh, something so foreign but so right for this man, and patted his cute boyfriend in comfort. "My love," he said, "You are the world's worst liar."

There was no response, probably due to the sulking, so Giyuu continued. "Your parents are strict and protective, but you know more than I do that they love you very much."

"I know," Tanjirou sighed in resignation. He lifted his head and closed his eyes, silently asking for a kiss.

With much practice, both from their past and current life, Giyuu understood and lowered his head until their lips met, melded, and connected. Tanjirou wrapped his arms around his beloved's neck and shifted his mouth until Giyuu relented and parted his lips, giving him entrance.

"Giyuu, Giyuu, Giyuu," Tanjirou panted and lost himself in the sensation. He tugged those raven strands and pulled him towards the expanse of his neck, relishing the trivial sharp pinpricks of teeth.

"Tanjirou," he hummed in return and intertwined their hands, the very same hands he was willing to follow for eternity, through life and death, through any trials that may come their way.

Somewhere down the line, Giyuu brandished a key and laid it on those calloused hands, hands he yearned to hold every day, every night.

"Kamado Tanjirou."

This key would open new doors, new horizons, and in this case, this was a key to his apartment. College was right around the corner, and Tanjirou had yet to find the perfect residence.

"Stay and be mine?" Giyuu asked him, no longer shackled by a cursed mark or anything else.

Tanjirou grasped the key with an overflowing love and leapt into Giyuu's arms with bursting joy. "I was already yours," he replied and kissed him until he was breathless.

Thus, this marked the end of a tragic story and the beginning of a hopeful one.

The end.


End file.
